‘Soul Train’ Creator Don Cornelius Is Dead of Apparent Suicide

Don Cornelius, creator of the TV show “Soul Train,” has died after suffering a gunshot wound at his home in Sherman Oaks, Calif. Wednesday morning. He was 75.

Los Angeles police confirmed with the AP that Cornelius died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officers responded to a report of a shooting at his Mulholland Drive home at around 4 a.m.

He was later pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Cornelius hosted the long-running dance show, “Soul Train,” from 1971 until 1993. The show continued until 2006.

In the VH1 documentary, “Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America,” Cornelius said in the late 1960s, television “was a medium that didn’t feature minorities in a positive way. It bothered me personally…I had a burning desire to see black people presented on television in a positive light.”

“The principal inspiration for ‘Soul Train’ was ‘American Bandstand’ and Dick Clark,” Cornelius said in the documentary. “I wanted to do a black ‘American Bandstand.’” He convinced his bosses at WCIU-TV in Chicago of the viability of a black “American Bandstand” and kept ownership of the show, making him one of the first African-Americans to own a television show.

To pay tribute to Cornelius, VH1 and VH1 Classic will re-air the documentary on Friday, Feb. 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

“Before MTV there was Soul Train,” record producer Quincy Jones said in a statement to the AP Wednesday. “That will be the great legacy of Don Cornelius. His contributions to television, music and our culture as a whole will never be matched. My heart goes out to Don’s family and loved ones.”

Others expressed their grief over the news of his death on Twitter. Reverend Al Sharpton wrote: “I am shocked and grief stricken by the reported suicide of Don Cornelius of Soul Train. I have known him since I was 19 years old.”

Robin Roberts, anchor of “Good Morning America,” wrote: “Very sad to hear about the death of Don Cornelius, former host of Soul Train. Grew up watching that show: “peace, love and sooooul”. RIP”

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